"Patterns are solutions to recurring problems. Use them wisely, adapt them to context, but never apply them blindly."
Architecture patterns are not blueprints—they're templates. Each must be adapted to your specific constraints, team capabilities, and business requirements.
We document patterns not to prescribe solutions, but to create a shared vocabulary. When we say "circuit breaker," everyone understands the trade-offs, failure modes, and implementation considerations.
Decompose applications into small, independently deployable services organized around business capabilities.
Components communicate through asynchronous events, enabling loose coupling and reactive behavior.
Separate read and write operations into distinct models optimized for their specific use cases.
Manage distributed transactions through a sequence of local transactions with compensating actions for rollback.
Prevent cascading failures by stopping requests to failing services and allowing them time to recover.
Single entry point for all clients, handling routing, authentication, rate limiting, and request aggregation.
Choosing patterns because they're trendy, not because they solve your specific problem. Microservices aren't always the answer.
Applying every pattern you know to a simple problem. Sometimes a monolith is the right choice. Start simple, evolve as needed.
Copying Netflix's architecture because "it worked for them." Your constraints, scale, and team are different. Adapt, don't copy.
Breaking up a system before understanding its boundaries. Start with a well-structured monolith. Split when you have evidence it's needed.